India's longest-range missile ready for test launch: official

[Owais]

India's longest-range missile ready for test launch: official

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
Mon, 15 May 2006, 00:20


New Delhi: India's longest-range ballistic missile is ready for a test launch, the country's top military scientist announced Sunday.

"We are technically ready for the test-firing of the missile," M. Natarajan, scientific advisor to the defence ministry, announced at an official function in New Delhi which was also attended by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.
"We are awaiting a nod from the government," he said of the Agni-III (Fire) nuclear-capable ballistic missile which has an official range of 4,000 kilometres (2,480 miles).
Some experts believe the solid-fuel missile can travel a distance of 6,000 kilometres (3,720 miles) but the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), which built the system, declined to confirm the estimates.
India has been putting off tests of the Agni-III since November 2004 reportedly under pressure from the United States concerned it could spark an arms race with New Delhi's rival Pakistan.
The Agni ballistic missile can be deployed through rail or road mobile launches and has greater accuracy for its 200 to 300-kilogram (440-660-pound) conventional or nuclear warhead payloads, according to the DRDO.
India's arch-rival Pakistan on April 29 test fired a nuclear-capable missile with a range of 2,000 kilometres (1,250, miles).
India has already tested several variants of the Agni missiles with the ability to strike targets between 800 (496 miles) and 1,500 kilometres (930 miles) and has developed an arsenal of other surface and maritime missiles.
Last October nuclear rivals India and Pakistan agreed to give advance notice of ballistic missile tests to avoid misunderstandings. The two countries carried out tit-for-tat nuclear explosions in 1998 and have declined to sign global nuclear arms treaties.
India however agreed earlier this year to put 14 of its civilian atomic reactors under international safeguards in return for frontline nuclear technology from the United States.

 

[Neo]

I saw the news on the internet, good news for India!
Adding range to a missile isn't that difficult anymore, both India and Pakistan have solid fuel multi stage rockets.

 

[Rafale]

Great!!!!!!!!!!!!

Again, indian scientists made an another glory in denece technology.

Now, Indian missles can reach Beijing. Good for national defence.

Just if we look at the past, India is advancing with more technology and sophesticated
arms...........probably sign of a big "Gathering Storm"!!!!! :army:

 

[Zeeshan S.]

Gathering Storm against who? If you get the authority of Indian Armed Forces, by now India would have been destroyed.

The Agni III is nothing better than Shaheen II, the range and payload is almost the same and proportionate.

 

[Lilo]

Adding range to a missile isn't that difficult anymore

U have said it my friend..
I hope they would do away with this gradual increase in ranges.To cover whole of china while retaining a credible strategic depth to its rocket forces,india needs to develop a missile with a range of ~6000Km.So if they are gonna test it they better do it when they reach the 6K mark and do away with the missile range improvement.No need to send hostile signals repeatedly by testing missiles with gradual increments of range and impede the progressing relationship with china.

 

[Rafale]

Yes, the Agni-III is far better than Shaheen. After Pak acquired their missiles design and everything from N korea.

Their most of missiles match with Korea's Nodong missile. Agni is more sophesticated than the Shaheen.
If not can any one prove with technical statistics.

Admin Edit: 2nd Warning, and you know why!

 

[Jay_]

The Agni III is nothing better than Shaheen II, the range and payload is almost the same and proportionate.

Quite wrong. Shaheen-II appears to be a match for Agni-II with a range of over 2,000 km. Meanwhile, Agni-III has a range of over 3,000 km.

different beasts.

 

[Neo]

Do we really need 'mine is bigger than yours' kind of posts here?
Imho, all missiles are welldesigned to match their performance and each design serves well within the requirement. That goes for both sides!

What about out defence shield? Both countries lack defence system, thats something to talk about.

 

[Jay_]

India has been testing S-300 and S-400 systems and has a rudimentary warning network covering important sites around the country.

Your turn

 

[Thunder]

What's with these childish posts, on who is better? They both are missiles and both will do good amount of damage to the other side when launched. Now go back to sleep

 

[sigatoka]

Do we really need 'mine is bigger than yours' kind of posts here?
Imho, all missiles are welldesigned to match their performance and each design serves well within the requirement. That goes for both sides!

What about out defence shield? Both countries lack defence system, thats something to talk about.

Defense shiels are very expensive and ineffective. It is a wrong move strategically because after the side installing the defence is done; the opponent can cheaply increase the number of missiles to saturate the defence.

 

[Neo]

I read somewhere that even PAC-3 has a hit of 70%, meaning that 30% of the missiles fired will pass the defenceshield..
Is that correct?

 

[Samudra]

Lol, not wanting to add to the "Mine is bigger than yours" debates but but but A-III will change a lot of things....and this forum will have to pardon my over-enthusiastic celebration when the beast is test fired.

I remember reading(did'nt care for the link) that the DRDO folks have readied more than one A-III prototype so that the trials can be completed in a short period of time and the user gets to test-fire one by end of next year(if the first test goes off this August).

Ofcourse induction of these missiles is a different ball game and might take a couple of years.

 

[Samudra]

the opponent can cheaply increase the number of missiles to saturate the defence.

Again.Dont want to add to the Who's stick is big debate, but increasing the numbers of missiles may not be a "cheap" way to overcome defenses.Atleast in this region.

MIRVs OK not missiles.

 

[Neo]

Lol, not wanting to add to the "Mine is bigger than yours" debates but but but A-III will change a lot of things....and this forum will have to pardon my over-enthusiastic celebration when the beast is test fired.

I remember reading(did'nt care for the link) that the DRDO folks have readied more than one A-III prototype so that the trials can be completed in a short period of time and the user gets to test-fire one by end of next year(if the first test goes off this August).

Ofcourse induction of these missiles is a different ball game and might take a couple of years.

Bring it on Sam!
We both know that Pakistan will answer in an approperiate way as such events go tit-for-tat. :wink: